Padlock



@ciu 49 i3., J. ALLMAN 2933293011 PADLOGK Original Filed June 27, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet l JIJ J. ALLMAN @Clt 4, 1938.

PADLOCK Original Filed June 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MQQMM PatentedOct. 4, 1938 UNl'l'ED STTES amati PADLOCK Joseph Allman, Chicago, lll.,assigner, by mesne assignments, to `loseph Allman, trustee Application.lune 27, 1935, Serial No. 28,638 Renewed .lune 13, 1938 1l Claims.

The present invention relates to padlocks, and is particularly concernedwith the provision oi an improved padlock of the permutation type,adapted to be actuated by'manual actuating devices, which may beactuated without necessity for looking at any dial so that the lock maybe opened in the dark as well as thelight.4

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improvedpermutation padlock in i.) which there are no parts exposed that can bedrilled or otherwise attacked with ordinary tools to break the lock.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedpermutation padlock in 1,; which there are no parts which can be damagedin such manner as to open the lock by means of a hammer.

Another object of the invention is the provin sion of an improvedpermutation lock adapted .3 to be actuated by push buttons, in which theparts are so formed that they cannot be grasped by a pair of pliers orother gripping tools to push or pry the push buttons out of the lock.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedpermutation padlock structure which is simple, efficient, sturdy andcapable of manufacture at such a low cost that it may be manufacturedwithin the means of a vast number of purchasers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings, of which there are two sheets,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the padlock;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the padlock mechanism, with one of thecover plates removed; 4 Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on theplane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View, taken on the plane of the line 5--5 of Fig.1;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view;`

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line l-l of Fig. 3,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken on the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig. 3,looking in the direction of the arrows; l

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 99 of Fig. 2, looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the lock, showing the end elevation ofthe ratchet member;

Fig. 1l is a sectional view, showing the cam in elevation;

Fig. 12 is another sectional View, showing one of the permutationmembers in elevation; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional view, showing another of the permutation membersin elevation.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, 2li indicates in its entirety the padlock,which is preferably provided with a body 2|, which may be constructed ofa block of hardened metal suitable for resisting the attacks of ordinarytools.

The block 2l has a plurality of fiat, rectangular sides, the corners 22being preferably cham- I.fered, but the block may be made in any desiredshape. It is `provided with an enlarged circular transverse bore 23 forthe purpose of housing the mechanism of the lock, and with a pair ofinwardly extending bores 2d, 225 at the top, which latter bores areparallel to each other and communicate with the enlarged bore 23.

1t also has a pair of parallel cylindrical bores 26, 21 extendinginwardly from the bottom for the purpose of housing the push buttons 2t,2e, and these latter bores also communicate with the enlarged bore Z3. p

The padlock is preferably provided with a U- shapedshackle 353,comprising a hardened metal rod bent to substantially U shape and havinga pair of parallel legs 3|, 32, the latter leg being longer, since it isadapted to be rotatably and slidably mounted in the lock body.

The leg 3| is provided at its lower end with a transverse groove,lhaving a diagonal surface 33 and a transverse shoulder 34, the latterbeing adapted to engage a locking bolt or pivoted member when thepadlock is in locked condition. The opposite leg 32 is also preferablyprovided with a similar beveled surface 33 and a shoulder 34, the twogrooves facing each other.

In some embodiments of the invention, however, only one pivoted lockingmember may be utilized. Each of the legs 3|, 32 is preferably slidablymounted in a hardened metal sleeve 35 or 39, which has a lower reducedcylindrical portion 36 that has a pressed frictional t in the bore 25.The sleeve is driven home against the annular shoulder 31 and has itsedge at one side removed at the point 38, so that the sleeve will notinterfere with the operation of the other parts of the mechanism. Inother words, the sleeve 33 does not project into the enlarged bore 23.

The sleeve 35 is cut away at 56at the upper end, so that the shackle 3|!may be pivoted to move the leg 3| out of the sleeve 35 when the groove Mregisters with pin l l. The upper part of sleeve 35 thus serves to alignthe leg 3|, with the bore in the sleeve 35, when rotating the shackle3i! back into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1.`

The bore 26 is also provided with a similar sleeve 33, the latter sleevebeing also provided with an aperture 40 for passing a pin lll, which hasa drive t in a transverse bore 42. The leg 32 is provided with avertically extending slot 43 on the side towards the pin 4|, so that thepin 4| may slide in the sl'ot 43, preventing rotation of the shackle 30until it reaches the upper limit of its movement, where the slot 4|extends sidewise at 44, on the periphery of the leg 32.

The leg 32 is also provided with an axially extending bore 45 in itslower end for receiving the compression spring 46, which tends to movethe shackle 30 up out of the padlock body. The mechanism of the padlockis supported upon a cylindrical metal supporting member 41, which alsohas a bore 48 for the leg 32, the bore 48 registering with the bore inthe sleeve 3! when the parts are assembled. Bore 48 may be provided witha plate 49 at its lower end, which is pressed in place to provide abetter seat for the spring 4G.

The body, at each end of the enlarged bore 23, is preferably providedwith counterbores 50, 5|, substantially tting the outer edges 52 of thebeveled cover plates 53, 54. After all the parts of the lock areassembled, the adjacent part of the lock body 2| may be spun over thebeveled edges of the cover plates 58, 54 to permanently secure theseplates to the body.

One of the cover plates, such as 53, for example, is preferably providedwith some identifying mark to distinguish it from the other cover plate,so that the operator may tell in the dark which is the front side of thelock, for the purpose of identifying the two push buttons from eachother, as a right push button and a left push button. In the presentembodiment an ornamental circular groove 55 is formed in the front coverplate for this purpose.

Referring to Figs. 2, 4, 'land 8, the mechanism of the lock is mountedupon the circular body 41. This body is provided with a transversecylindrical bore 51 for receiving the permutation discs. It alsol hasthe upwardly extending bores 58, 59, which register with the bores 25,21, respectively, when the lock is assembled, and these latter borescommunicate with the Vcentrally, located bore 51. The supporting member41 is also provided with a circular bore 60, centrally located thereinwith respect to the periphery of the body 41 for passing the shaft 9|,which has a reduced knurled end 62 that may have a drive lit in a bore83 in the back cover plate 54. Shaft 6| is thereby prevented fromrotating, and it rotatably supports the permutation discs 94, 65, thecam disc Bt, and the ratchet wheel 61.

The tumbler discs 94, are spaced from each other by a washer 68 which isprovided with a radially inwardly extending key 59, adapted to ex tendinto the key-way 10 in the shaft 6|. A similar washer 1| ismountedbetween the tumbler disc VS5 and the cam 65. Cam 55 may be iixedlysecured to the ratchet wheel 5,1 by being pressed on a tubular hub 12carried by the ratchet wheel. The washers 68, 1| isolate the permutationdiscs from each other so that they can be rotated only by theinter-engagement of the pins carried thereby.

The permutation discs 64, 05 both have slots 13. 14 which are adapted toreceive the locking lug 15 .when these slots are aligned. The cam 55 hasits periphery arrangedcn an increasing radius so that at its largestradius the cam surface 16 is adaptedto, lift the locking lug 15 out ofthe slots 13, 14. The smallest radius portion of the cam permits thelocking lug 15 to drop into the slots 13, 14, if they are aligned. Thepermutation disc 64 may be provided with another slot or cut-awayportion 11, forming the radial shoulders 18, 19Von each side of a stoppin 80. Stop pin is mounted with a pressed fit in a suitable bore 0| inthe body 41. The purpose of the shoulders 18, 19 is to limit therotation of the first permutation disc so that it will not take so manystep-by-step impulses to v move it back to its initial position.Therefore, the

rst number of the combination may be much smaller than it would need tobe if stops 18-80 were absent.

Permutation disc 6ft is also provided with a laterally projecting pin82, which projects past the washer 60 into position to engage a pin 83,which projects from both sides of the permutation disc 65. The cam 69also has a laterally projecting pin 84, which projects into the path ofthe left end of pin 83 past the washer 1|. The inter-engagement of thesepins serves to permit the alignment of the slots 13, 14 in thepermutation discs by actuating the ratchet wheel G1.

Ratchet-wheel 31 comprises a substantially cylindrical metal memberprovided with a plurality of equally spaced slots 85 and teeth 86 on itsperiphery. It has an enlarged bore 81 from which extends a bore 88 ofthe hub 12, so that the ratchet wheel may be rotatably mounted on theshaft 5|, and a spring 89 may be mounted in the bore 81. Shaft 6| isprovided with a threaded and countersunk bore 90 for receiving the screw9|, which passes through and secures a plate 92 in the counterbore 81 toprovide a seat for the spring 99. The spring 89 constantly urges theassembly of rotatably mounted parts on the shaft 5| axially intoengagement with each other and maintains these parts under predeterminedpressure, so that the friction between them is suicient to hold thetumbler discs in the position to which they are turned by the operationof the pins 82-84- The locking lug 15 is carried by the lower end of asliding member 93,'which is slidably mounted in the body 41. The slidingmember 93 is provided with a pair of laterally projecting lugs 94, 95,and it is slidably mounted in a guideway 96 in the body 41. The body 41is also provided with slots 91, 98, which communicate with the guideway96 so that pivoted locking bolts 99, |00 may be mounted in the slots 91,98, an arm of each locking bolt projecting into the guideway 96. Each ofthe locking bolts may be Videntical in construction, and therefore onlyone need be described. They are rotatively mounted on pins |0| and areprovided with the partially cylindrical actuating arm |92 and with theother arm having a laterally projecting lockingpshoulder |03.

The slider 93 is provided with an axially extending bore |94, withinwhich is housed a compression spring |05. Compression spring |05engagesthe upper wall of the enlarged bore 23 and urges the slider 93downward, or in such a way as to tend to withdraw the locking bolts 99,|00. They cannot be withdrawn, however, unless the slots 13, 14 of thepermutation discs are aligned. The laterally projecting lugs 94, haveinwardly extending slots |06, |01, within which are mounted thepartially cylindrical ends of the arms |02 of the locking bolts 99, |00.The guideway 99 communicates with the centrally located bore 51, so thatthe locking lug 15 may pass downward intoV the slots 13, 14.

The ratchetwheel 51 is adapted to be actuated` by the push buttons 28,29.; For this purpose there is mounted in each of the bores 58, 59 aplunger |08, which is provided with a head |09, slidably mounted in thebore 58. 'Ihe reduced cylindrical stem ||0 of the plunger |08 isslidably mounted in a complementary bore and a spring II2 engages aportion of the body 41 and constantly urges the plunger |00 downwardinto engagement with the inner end of a sleeve II3. Each of the plungers|08 carries an auxiliary stem I 9 and a pawl I I4, pivotally mountedthereon by means of a pin I I5.

The body 41 is suitably cut away and provided with a slot sothat thepawl ||4 may move up and down with the plunger I08.- Pawl IIA isprovided with a ratchet-engaging shoulder ||6 and a beveled surface II1, and the end of the pawl has a socket I|8 for receiving the end of aspiral spring II9, the other end of the spring being xedly secured tothe body 41 by being mounted in a bore in a screw |62. Spring II 9constantly urges the pawl I I4 toward the ratchet wheel, but the edge ofthe slot III limits the movement of the pawl I|4 and prevents it fromengaging the ratchet wheel except during a predetermined range of themotion of the plunger |08.

As plunger |08 is moved upward, the pawl is moved over into engagementwith the ratchet Wheel 61, where it engages in one of the slots andmoves the ratchet Wheel a movement which corresponds to the spacecorresponding to one slot and one tooth.

Both of the pawls being identical in structure, only one will-bedescribed, but the one pawl is adapted to move the ratchet wheel step bystep in a clockwise direction, and the other in a counterclockwisedirection, corresponding to the usual movements of the dial of apermutation lock.

The push buttons 28, 29 comprise hardened metal members provided withfrusto-conical outer portions |2I. These frusto-conical portions are sohardened that no impression can be made thereon by any ordinary tool,and they cannot be gripped by pliers or other clamping members so as toWithdraw them from the lock.

, The push buttons also have a cylindrical body spring ||2 so that whenthe push buttons are actuated under ordinary conditions spring |25 doesnot give but is suflicient to transmit the motion of the push button 28to the plunger |08.

Sleeve I3 is also made of hardened metal, and has a pressed t in thebore 26. It haslan inwardly extending annular ange |26 at its inner end,providing a seat for the head |09 of plunger |08. At its outer end ithas an outwardly extending annular shoulder |21, determining the finalposition of the sleeve in its bore.

The push button has a reduced cylindrical portion, providing space for ametal ring |28, which has a pressed t in the bore |23, providing a stopshoulder for the outward movement of the push button and holding thepush button in its socket. rlhe purpose of the spring |25 is to protectthe other parts of the mechanism from hammer blows on the push buttons28, 29. Whenever such blows are given the push buttons, the spring |25gives and absorbs and cushions the blow that would otherwise betransmitted to the other mechanism of the lock.

The operation of Ythe lock is as follows: The push buttons 28, 29 arepushed a predetermined number of times in predetermined sequence,dependingvupon the combination, to align the permutation discs. Whenthey are aligned, the lug 15 passes into the slots of the discs, and thelocking bolts 99, |00l are withdrawn. Spring Mi then causes the lockingmember 30 to project from the padlock. The padlock may only be lockedwhen the permutation discs and or cam are so arranged as to project thelocking member 15 from the slots. The lock may be locked with a fewturns by merely actuating the cam with one of the buttons so as toproject the locking lug 15 from the slots, thereby actuating the lockingbolts 99, |00. Under such conditions, it is only partially locked, andmay be brought back to the initial position by pushing the other pushbutton to move the cam backward as many steps as were taken to lock thedevice.` Of course, it maybe securely and thoroughly locked by followinga suitable combination, and to anyone not familiar with the device it isjust as well locked when in the partially locked condition I have justmentioned.

The present device is adapted to withstand the attacks of all ordinarytools, and is practically burglar-proof. It can be unlocked in the darkas well as in the light by actuating the push buttons, since it is notnecessary to look at the push buttons while giving them a predeterminednumber of pushes in proper sequence,

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, many modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of allchanges within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a permutation lock, the combination of a support with a pluralityof permutation discs, a ratchet wheel for actuating said permutationdiscs step by step, a locking member controlled by said permutationdiscs, a pawl, a manual actuating member for actuating said ratchetwheel, and resilient means between said pawl and said manual actuatingmember adapted to give when a blow is struck upon said manual actuatingmember to protect the mechanism of the lock from hammer blows.

2. In a permutation lock, the combination of a support with a pluralityof permutation discs, a ratchet wheel for actuating said permutationdiscs step by step, a locking member controlled by said permutationdiscs, a pawl, a manual actuating member for actuating said ratchetwheel, resilient means between said pawl and said manual actuatingmember adapted to give when a blow is struck upon said manual actuatingmember toy protect the mechanism of the lock'from hammer blows, saidmanual actuating member comprising a push button, and spring means forurging said push button outwardly from said support.

3. In a permutation lock, the combination of a support with a pluralityof permutation discs, a ratchet wheel for actuating said permutationdiscs step by step, a locking member controlled by said permutationdiscs,V a pawl, a manual actuating member for actuating said ratchetwheel, resilient means between said pawl and said manual actuatingmember adapted to give when a blow is struck upon said manual actuatingmember tofprotect the mechanism of the lock from having a surfacetapering toward the outer endv to prevent application of a pulling forceby a clamping tool.

4. In a permutation padlock, the combination of a metal body, allexposed parts of which are' armored, with a permutation lock in saidbody, a pair of push buttons for actuating said lock, said push buttonsprojecting from said body, and said push buttons being constructed withformations having a surface tapering toward the outer end, whereby thepush buttons cannot be gripped by a clamping tool to withdraw them.

5. In a padlock, the combination of a metal body formed with an enlargedtransverse circular bore, a permutation locking mechanism located insaid bore, actuating push buttonsV located in bores transversely to saidenlarged bore for actuating said lock, a U-shaped shackle having itslegs extending into other bores located transversely to said enlargedbore, said enlarged bore being closed on each side by a hardened metalplate located in said enlarged bore, and the material of said body beingspun over said metal plates, one of said plates having a distinguishingmark by means of which the operator may distinguish the front of thelock and distinguish the push buttons as right and left push buttons, sothat the lock may be actuated in the dark.

6. In a permutation padlock, the combination of a supporting bodyprovided with a transverse circular bore, a U-shaped shackle having bothof its ends slidably mounted in bores which communicate with saidtransverse bore, spring means for projecting said shackle, one of thelegs of said shackle being longer, stop means for retaining said latterleg in said body, guide means for permitting rotation of said latterleg, permutation locking means in said body for locking said shacklewith both legs in said body, and a pair of push buttons slidably mountedin said body and adapted to actuate said permutation locking means, andsaid push buttons having a surface tapering toward the outer end,whereby they cannot be gripped by any ordinary clamping tool to withdrawthe push buttons.

7. A locking unit 01" padlocks comprising a substantially cylindricalbody provided with a cylindrical transverse bore for receiving thepermutation discs, a shaft xedly mounted in said bore, a plurality ofpermutation discs on said shaft, fixed bearing means between said discsfor preventing one permutation disc from entraining another exceptthrough the interconnecting shoulders carried thereby, a pair of pivotedlocking bolts, a movable member carrying a locking lug and mechanicallyconnected to said locking bolts, said permutation discs having slotsadapted to be aligned to receive said locking lug and permit themovement of said locking bolts.

8. A locking unit for padlocks, comprising a substantially cylindricalbody provided with a cylindrical transverse bore for receiving thepermutation discs, a shaft'iixedly mounted in said bore, a plurality ofpermutation discs on said shaft, fixed bearing means between said discsfor preventing one permutation disc from entraining another exceptthrough the interconnecting shoulders carried thereby, a pair of pivotedlocking bolts, a movable member carrying a locking lug and mechanicallyconnected to said locking bolts, said permutation discs having slotsadapted to be aligned to receive said locking lug and per- Init themovement of said locking bolts, resilient means for urging said lockinglug into said slots of said permutation discs, and cam means adaptedupon rotation to force said locking lug out of said slots to effect alocking'movement of said locking bolts. l

9. In a permutation padlock, the combination of a supporting bodyprovided with an enlarged transverse bore, said body also having a pairof inwardly extending bores at the top, and a pair of inwardly extendingbores at the bottom, cornmunicating with said enlarged bore, a U-shapedshackle having its legs slidably mounted in said top bores, one of saidlegs being longer and adapted to permit rotation of said shackle whensaid other leg is out of its top bore, a permutation locking devicemounted in said enlarged bore, and comprising a pair of locking boltsadapted to engage shoulders on said legs, and a pair of push buttons insaid lower bores adapted to actuate said permutation locking means by apredetermined number of impulses in predetermined sequence.

10. In a permutation padlock, the combination of a supporting bodyprovided with an enlarged transverse bore, said body also having a pairof inwardly extending bores at the top, a pair of inwardly extendingbores at the bottom, communicating with said enlarged bore, a U-shapedshackle having its legs slidably mounted in said top bores, one of saidlegs being longer and adapted to permit rotation of said shackle whensaid other leg is out of its top bore, a permutation locking devicemounted in said enlarged bore, comprising a pair of locking boltsadapted to engage shoulders on said legs, and a pair of push buttons insaid lower bores adapted to actuate said permutation locking means by apredetermined number of impulses in predetermined sequence, and springmeans interposed between said push buttons and the mechanism of saidpermutation locking means to absorb hammer blows and protect saidmechanism from hammer blows on said push buttons.

11. In a permutation padlock, the combination of a supporting bodyprovided with an enlarged transverse bore, said body also having a pairo1 inwardly extending bores at the top, a pair of inwardly extendingbores at the bottom, communicating with said enlarged bore, a.A U-shapedshackle having its legs slidably mounted in said top bores, one of saidlegs being longer and adapted to permit rotation of said shackle whensaid other leg is out of its top bore, a permutation locking devicemounted in said enlarged bore, comprising a pair of locking boltsadapted to engage shoulders on .said legs, a pair of push buttons insaid lower bores adapted to actuate said permutation locking means by apredetermined number of impulses in predetermined sequence, andspringmeans interposed between said push buttons and the mechanism ofsaid permutation locking means to absorb hammer blows and protect saidmechanism from hammer blows on said push buttons, said push buttonshaving a surface tapering toward the outer end, whereby they cannot begripped by ordinary gripping tools to remove the push buttons.

. JOSEPH ALLMANV

